Clippers owner Donald Sterling condemned by Los Angeles City Council

Councilmember Bernard C. Parks speaks during an April 29, 2014 news conference at Los Angeles City Hall to discuss his motion that asks the city to take a position condemning Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s alleged racist statements and to support reasonable sanctions against him.
Andy Holzman — Staff photographer

With support from African-American leaders, the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday endorsed the NBA’s penalties on Donald Sterling and called for a citywide condemnation of the Clippers owner for his recorded racist comments.

The motion by Councilman Bernard Parks also called on Sterling to apologize for his remarks to the community and to Magic Johnson. Sterling was recorded telling his apparent girlfriend to not bring black people to Clippers games and to not appear with them in her Instagram photos, singling out the Lakers legend by name.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday imposed a lifetime ban on Sterling from Clippers games and other league activities as well as a $2.5 million fine. He also said he would seek Sterling’s removal from ownership of the team.

Parks said Sterling’s comments call for quick action by city leaders to “separate ourselves from those statements. There has been a long-standing tradition of this city in not supporting discrimination of any kind.

“Mr. Sterling owes this city a personal apology and he also owes Mr. Magic Johnson, who he singled out, and is an iconic figure in this nation, a personal apology,” Parks said.

Parks also called on the Los Angeles Times to reject Sterling’s real estate advertising. Times spokeswoman Nancy Sullivan said the company would have no comment on the resolution.

Sterling has yet to comment publicly on the issue.

City Council President Herb Wesson praised Parks for bringing in the resolution.

“This is an area where we cannot let up,” Wesson said.

Civil rights activist Jasmyne Cannick said it was important for the city to send a message.

“We need to let people know this does not represent our city,” Cannick said.

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Ron Hasson, president of the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP, said the organization is also taking steps to revoke an achievement award presented to Sterling in 2009.